A Deputy Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sammy Awuku has attributed the recent spate of conflicts, violence, and general social indiscipline in society, to a number of factors, but primarily, the lack of political will by the Mills-led administration, to enforce law and order in the system.
In the month of June alone, the country has experienced incidences of violence in the Volta, Central and Northern regions which has caused extensive destruction to life and property. In the Volta region alone, Over 2,100 people have been displaced in communal violence at the town of Hohoe.
Speaking on Peace FM’s flagship morning show programme, Kokrokoo, hosted by Kwame Sefa-Kayi, Mr. Awuku explained that the failure of the President Mills-led government to ensure that the law is enforced impartially by the security agencies has emboldened some few undisciplined in our society, to engage in acts of lawlessness.
According to Mr. Awuku, since assuming office, the Mils-led administration has encountered countless acts of indiscipline in its own backyard but has refused to allow the police to bring the perpetrators to book.
He cited a number of instances where some NDC supporters, under the umbrella of foot-soldiers, have taken over the offices of MCEs and DCEs who are supposed to be the representative of the President in these places, refusing them access to execute their constitutionally mandated jobs. Another instance was the seizure of the Adomi Bridge by a gang of NDC foot-soldiers without any reprisal from the security agencies. In all these instances the Executive has found ways to protect these hooligans from the long arm of the law.
Mr. Awuku also pointed government’s blatant disrespect for decisions of the courts as another reason for the growing indiscipline in our society. Interestingly though the president is a professor of law, his administration is on record to have been the most judiciary-abusive and tongue-lashing since the inception of the forth republic and this according to the NPP Deputy Director, can significantly reduce public confidence in the judiciary, a recipe for chaos. He reminded Ghanaians of the NDC Chairman Dr. Kwabena Adjei’s infamous “Kill a Cat” warning to the Judiciary.
According to Sammy Awuku, the President’s careless response to the violence perpetrated by his aide, during the recent biometric registration exercise, that he was not a police officer has also emboldened some few indisciplined ones
Mr. Awuku questioned the whereabouts of the President in all of the chaos in parts of the country. He reminded President Mills of his promise to Ghanaians before the 2008 elections when he stated that should a conflict break out in any part of the country, he would move in quickly to ease tensions and make peace. In a poll conducted by myjoyonline.com asking whether President Mills should speak out about the violence going on in the country, 1311 representing 89% voted yes, as against a paltry 162 representing 11%. This result was available by 5.00pm on Thursday June 14, 2012.

He urged President Mills and his appointees to give the security agencies a free hand to execute their duties dutifully as regular political interference, apart from discouraging members of the security apparatus from performing their legal functions, will also embolden people who profess, or are perceived to be aligned to the ruling government to disregard our laws with impunity.
BY YAW P. K. MANU